Separable broom-head and filler therefor



M c 4 m b b H a h B Dir/1!; IHII 21 III I M BASMUSSEN. SEPARABLE BROOIVI HEAD AND FILLER THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-28, I9I9.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

MARTIN RASMUSSEN, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO A. B. TESCH, 0F

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24. 1920.

Application filed August 28, 1919. Serial No. 320,433.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN RAsMUssEN, a subject of the King of Denmark, residing in the city of Racine, county of Racine, and State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Separable Broom-Heads and Fillers Therefor, and do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, such .as will enable persons skilled in the art to which the invention pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the drawings hereto attached for disclosure as to certain details of construction.

The invention relates to brooms used for sweeping purposes. It resides in a broom in which the head or handle is separable from the filler or brush portion, as will be described in detail hereinafter, and the novel features of which will be pointed out in the appended claim.

The broom is not intended for purely domestic purposes, but is designed primarily to meet the requirements of those who have in concurrent use a large number of brooms. This situation is prevalent in large commercial establishments, including oflice buildings and hotels, as well as manufacturing and industrial plants, railway systems, etc.

My invention has been completed after much consideration of the problems involved, and I have produced a broom of the nature outlined at the opening of the specification, by methods which result in greatly lessening the cost of roduction.

Moreover, my invention e sets a reduction in the number of broom handles used, with the consequent reduction in the cost thereof, in addition to the saving which is effected by economical packing and storing, and in transportation charges.

The invention comprises a head constituted of a handle and a pair of clamping jaws pivoted thereon, and which receive between them the separate filler, the latter composed of strands of broom straw which are bound into a separate unit, which is readily inserted and clamped in the head. The handles or heads and the fillers are intended to be sold separately, the relative number of each included in the consignment being determined by the magnitude of the establishment in which the brooms are to be used, and when once equipped with handles, it is necessary only to replenish the stock of fillers, as the latter become unsuitable for further service.

The simplicity of construction of the filler enables me to produce it at a very low cost, compared with that of entirely new brooms. I am thereby enabled to supply the trade w1th a broom at a greatly reduced price, when the brooms now on the market are consldered, and thus effect a great economy of expenditure for this purpose.

When the filler or brush is placed in the head or handle, the filler is securely attached and clamped against displacement by slmple but effective provisions.

In the accompanying drawings,

1 igure 1, shows in side elevation a broom head or handle with the filler or brush inserted and clamped therein, the longer part of the handle being broken away from the head to save space.

F1g. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the filler is secured in place; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3, Flg. 1, showing details of the fastening means employed by me in securing the separable elements in position for use.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the filler which is composed of a mass of broom straws arranged in parallel and secured into a unit by rows of cross stitches a through their butt ends. At points on a line near the upper end of the filler, the latter is perforated for the reception of metallic eyelets a which pass through the filler and are spread upon the opposite sides thereof. These eyelets by the action of their flanges a serve to additionally bind the broom straw into a compact mass. After being stitched and eyeleted as described, the butt end of the filler is trimmed so as to have a rounded formation indicated by the dotted line arc of about 180, in Fig. 1, so as to conform closely to the interior of the half-shell clamping members of the broom head, as will be hereinafter described. The filler constructed as described, is produced at a greatly reduced cost when compared with brooms of the usual type, and needs only the application of a head or handle to render it serviceable.

My improved head or handle with which the above described filler or brush portion is intended to be used, will now be described. A handle portion B, formed as are broom handles generally, is tapered at its lower end so as to form a wedge I), which latter is designed to enter and fill an opening formed in the head of the filler and extending in the direction. of the length thereof. Two radially ribbed clamping members or jaws C and C pressed from sheet metal, and having the half-shell outlines shown, are assembled upon op osite sides of the lower end of the handle and pivoted thereto at their contracted portions'as indicated at 0, the clamping members being adapted to receive between them the filler and hold the latter in position for service.

A further economy in the cost of production resides in formation of the claming members C and C, which are struck rom sheet metal, the upper contracted portions referred to being cut from the material which spans the arcuate opening in the central portion of the lower part thereof. In addition to this economy of material, a lengthening of the line of engagement of the half shell clamping members with the filler is thus provided, and a firm union of the parts is attained by the rib formed in the metal and bounding the arcuate opening.

In assembling the elements which constitute my new invention, the jaws C and C are separated and the tapered end of the handle is wedged in the opening in the head of the filler. The jaws are then closed and drawn together by means of bolts D, which latter pass through perforations d in both jaws and also through the eyelets a the openings in which are in register with the perforations d in the jaws. By means of the wing nuts 03, the bolts are tightened, and the pivoted clamping jaws are drawn. into a close and compressing engagement with the filler, whereby the latter is held with all of the firmness inherent to the older. form of brooms, in which the broom handle. and the straw forming the brush are united into an integral structure. .The act of in sorting the wedge 6 into the opening 6 in? the filler, serves to separate slightlythe mass; of broom straws constituting the filler, but. the expansion thus created enables.- me to.

grip the broom straws much tighter at the point of their engagement with the said.

wedge, whenithe clamps are drawn into po- ,-been-madeto produce brooms in accordance with" the idea underlying my resent invention, but all of such attempts ave failed of success for very obvious reasons. The structures heretofore brought out were so complicated that their cost of manufacture in competition with ordinary brooms was prohibitive, and some of such structures embodied parts of such weight as to render them unwieldy.

But by my invention I have constructed a broom, with separable head and filler, in which all of the elements of simple construction, light weight, economy of manufacturing and sale costs, and packing and transportation charges, are combined in the production of a merchantable article, the features of which are finding favorin the market, by reason of the commanding figure at which it is presented to the public.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A demountable broom com rising a handle tapered at one end, two hal -shell clamping members encircling the broom handle and pivoted to the same near the tapered end thereof, and providedwith registering perforations, the central portion of the lower edge of the half-shell clamping members being formed upon an arcuate line whereby the clamping engagement of the said members with the filler on an elongated line is effected, in combination with a separable filler'composed of strands united by rows of stitches and eyelets passing from one side of the filler to the other, the filler having an opening into which the tapered end of the handle is wedged, and bolts passing through the perforations in the half-shell members and theeyelet's to clamp the filler to the handle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my n'a'me' at"R-a'cine, this 25thday of August,

I MARTIN RASMUSSEN. Witnesses:

MARIE M. DIoK, MARY W. HonsoN. 

